This Electric Kick Scooter Is Lightweight and Folds Fast

The throttle sits on the right handlebar, and you gently push it down as you kick off to get the 350-watt motor going. When it hits the six-second mark, you’ll hear a beep (it’s noisy, remember?), which means that the cruise control has turned on. That means you can leave the throttle alone and simply worry about braking. It’s a nice touch. (If you don’t release the throttle after the first beep, the X8 just keeps … beeping.)

It’s nice to not have to think about pushing a throttle, especially since braking isn’t as simple as pressing the brake lever on the left handlebar. This disc brake works in tandem with an electronic brake and the foot brake. You activate the latter with your foot by pushing down on the rear mudguard. It’s not the strongest brake system, but I never found it hard to come quickly to a full stop.

So how’s the ride? It’s fine on well-paved roads, but the slightest crack, the smallest pothole, the tiniest rock, feels like you’re getting bucked off a bull. Seriously, you can feel every bump in the road with the 10-inch rubber tires. This was a nightmare when I accidentally drove onto a milled road. I felt like every pedestrian was interestedly watching me struggle to stay on the X8 as it bucked and snorted away.

There are three different ride modes (or “gears”) you can choose from that regulate the scooter’s speed: Eco, Beginner, and Sport. You toggle through them via a button, but seeing as Beginner capped me at around 9 mph, I just left it at Sport. In this mode, I usually hit around 19 mph, which is perfect for dense urban environments with lots of pedestrians and traffic lights. Anything more might be overkill unless you’ve got long stretches of roads (and more generous speed limits).

The X8’s speed may be reasonable, but acceleration will leave you wanting. Too many times did I watch others on scooters, bikes, and cars shoot past me as soon as the traffic light hit green. It also struggles up small hills—it’ll climb up them fine, but only at 11 or 12 mph.

Lightweight Ride

Riding the X8 may not be as comfy as pricier escooters I’ve tried, but I’m happy I can fold this thing up in seconds and carry it into a store without much effort. That alone makes up for much of its flaws.

The one gray area? Slidgo is a new brand under Adorama, and the retailer is new to the e-scooter space. You only get a one-year warranty on the X8 and a six-month warranty on the battery. Adorama has a customer service team you can reach out to if you encounter an issue, and the company says it offers replacement parts, but it does not have its own service center.

If you don’t mind taking a chance on the brand, you’re in an area with nice roads, and the places you travel to usually aren’t far, the X8 is a solid way to get around. My 8-mile round trip to an ice cream shop was perfectly enjoyable, except for when I yelled “Jesus” while going over a pothole.

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